New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-07
A BAD NIGHT FOR RANDY.
BURGLARIOUS ADVENTURES NOT TO BE
TALKED ABOUT.

weanon had been mt But my friend csnsu red mo
severely She said that she valued her liie and made
other remarks not calculated to soothe my MIND She
informed me that the she had felt 1t safe to
stay In the tent with me for so long that seemed
to have forgotten that there was pistol beneath the
with ia As she talked thus she was
lying nearly swallowed up IN the embrace OF an
enormously thick feather bed in the smallest bedroom
Which can be made. We are often told admiringly
of the supeior nh, steal condition Of ancestors
how they cculd endure hardships; how tough they
were. etc. Indeed, they must have been tough VINO
could live to maturity if they passed their nights IN
suoh little boxes these bedrooms when we ma
in nearly all the very old houses 10 New-England-
Literally they are boxes, with small window,
which In winter was rarely if ever opened III
boy girl lived to grow up II was surely CASE vi
the survival of thu fttest The fact OF ones beng
alive at all after infancy was proof enough OIL tough
This wa. the kind of room in which we were to
pass the night; night hot now that every breath
of wind had gone down. that only painting. perspir-
ing hslt-sxstence seemed possible. we thcught OF
our tent rs of something very far away and unuttcr-
abb, comfortable in contrast. The ono dlmhutiVe
window WAS open TO It's fullest extent but the mosque
to netting draped across 1t did not sur iold. III
there should be any breeze could be sure by look
ing at that window that 1t would never come In that
direction.
stood with the kerosene hand-lamp at the door
while Carlos discoursed thus cruelty. "hen she
made slight pause left her to prosecute my search.
had kind of feel ng-womanish Is suppose, inc
adjective apply TO the feeling that IL that revolver
we're left lying in some place unknown to me II might
take il into its mind to explode by ITSELF just from
sheer depravIty. Lelieve firearms capable OF snch
deeds. And then had q curious. UNREASONABLE con-
vicon that If Burglars should come could frighten
them terribly il chose 20 do so. In fact, should
have the matter entirely in my own hands
crept through the kitchen and out into tho
sinkroom,, where I had Randy t'ke the bag
Randy had gone upstairs to sleep, in room trihe
larger than the she had given u.s. ana trihe
hotter also for the had been heating the ROOF all
day. and to open the schamber-way door was to
receive a blast OF Air which made us almost thahhiui
do ~ nstars apartment.
did not wish Randy 10 hear me. But every board
in the floor crcaked maciousy, and barely saved
mysel from tumbing over the cat, which WAS CURED
I'D ia an entirely unexpected place ms room mao
sink in ore corner across the other end WAS piled
systematically several tiers OF wood ready for the
sove the rafters and oiss were bare and blackened
and buaches of herbs hung from them Inc whoie
place seemed seetning IN the memory OF the sun
which had been shining on 1t all day, ana the smell OF
pennyroyal and tnorough wort thick upon the ar
held nv lamp high and looked about me- On a
low stool which had been pushed under the sink !
the leather bag hnd brought. ies' me piston
was In it. Now if 1t burst it should do SO under my
own eye l went back slowly, aud found my friend
had fallen asleep in my absence.
Tie next few hours passed silent, 10 hot darkness
had not oven thought OF sleeping. AT least shall
always believe had not slept Neither had heard
sound, save the shrill noises OF the sum ner night
insects treetoad, apparently on the window sill,
three times uttered its strange, ouobhng sort
of cry, prophesying rain.
Suddenly, close to my side, heard Randy RANKIN
whisper.
aThe house is surrounded by burglars" she said
sat up aud gropod out toward where tho voice
from.
You must be mis- taken" whispered. u haven't
slept, and have heard nothing"
al guess know what I'm talking about she re-
sponded :" / tell you are surrounded I'm goin
for that pistol OF yourn. Which cnd do you take mold
of p
Before could say anything more she was in tho
next room, and dared not raise my voice She knew
the house so we'll that she could manage TO nd her
way in the dark.
NV friend seized my arm with painful cnch.
" Good heaven-w she cried IN my ear. She'll Kill
herset just think OF her firing the pistol IRON tho
wrong end oh. why did you bring 1t
| hastened to assure Carlos that Randy was at
present safe for she wouldn't find that revolver since
it was at this moment under my pillow
@Ohln cried Carlos with spring away from mo.
As YOU have been sleeping so soundly near 1t,
cant Won compose yourself when awakei" asked
with some bitterness Even il we're not irst-o!as
shot did not why people should act as II | had
the peslilcnca when they knew weapon was near
Inc.
In moment was aware that my friend had crept
on. of bed. / n dim, ~aycring figure going
toward the door. also AS silently as could.
" Didu't you hear her say we nro surrounded by
burglars - asked.
Carlos made kind OF hystercal sound, ana then
managed to tell me that she didn't know which she
feared most "A regiment of burglar with a
pistol Then asked her where she intended going,
aud she said she wasn't going anywhere she meant
lie down the hoor Tor she thought the floor was
the safest pla,e. whichever way might hro 1t
wasn't likely the bullet would go that way.
" As for burplars" abe In "a shrill whisper,
4" don't believe a word about them. Haven't been
awake all the time Randy has had nightmare. She
went to bed with her mind made up that burglars
should come, and this is the result All
"Ohp
As these EXPLANATIONS were uttered we caught hold
of each other with eager fingers. hen Carlos olsen
gage nv grasp and silently laid herself down on tine
braided rug in front OF the bed.
q" It's the best can do" she said I" When you
have pistol feel Just as do in thunder storm
nevor know herc the lightning will strike What
do you think 1t that We heard | can converse
while lying here just a. we'll rs anywhere"
We had certainly heard something. Impossible to
tell whether the noise made bJ our hostess or by
unknown ssailsnts We remained perfectly still for
some moments. with the revolver in ms hand. As
time passed we began to be anxions about Randy.
She must have found before this that the weapon she
sought wa, not where she put it. Things began to
grow more and more mysterious. Mrs. Rankin p-
peared to have been swallowed up.
Al last my companion spoke:
"Mind don't believe there's burglar any whcre
near here but il there Is one do you think he has
choroiormed Mrs Rank in IL you will put your
pistol down and not to touch il without warn
ing me- will 90 with you to find Randy. 1t seems
kind of cowardly to stay here like this
How could renquish ny only means OF defence
hssitated and while hesifatcd heard another
sound. Somebody walking deliberately by
bedI Dom window. 1t curious tread, the tread OF
two people, my friend insisted. We felt now that
things we.e be lin ming earnest. Oh, where
Randy took a few steps out INTO the suiiocating
darkness of the next room, and stood shifting to learn
II I could detect Any odor of choroform. Nothing.
have 10 idea how much time passed IA we fingered
like p,ltroons, while Mr'. Rankin might have been
abducted and taken leagues away. was already be-
ginning TO wonder II We could raise "A ransom for